Example
Go supports pointers, allowing you to pass references to values and records within your program.
package main
import "fmt"
// We'll show how pointers work in contrast to values with
// 2 functions: `zeroval` and `zeroptr`. `zeroval` has an
// `int` parameter, so arguments will be passed to it by
// value. `zeroval` will get a copy of `ival` distinct
// from the one in the calling function.
func zeroval(ival int) {
ival = 0
}
// `zeroptr` in contrast has an `*int` parameter, meaning
// that it takes an `int` pointer. The `*iptr` code in the
// function body then _dereferences_ the pointer from its
// memory address to the current value at that address.
// Assigning a value to a dereferenced pointer changes the
// value at the referenced address.
func zeroptr(iptr *int) {
*iptr = 0
}
Once these functions are defined, you can do the following:
func main() {
i := 1
fmt.Println("initial:", i) // initial: 1
zeroval(i)
fmt.Println("zeroval:", i) // zeroval: 1
// `i` is still equal to 1 because `zeroval` edited
// a "copy" of `i`, not the original.
// The `&i` syntax gives the memory address of `i`,
// i.e. a pointer to `i`. When calling `zeroptr`,
// it will edit the "original" `i`.
zeroptr(&i)
fmt.Println("zeroptr:", i) // zeroptr: 0
// Pointers can be printed too.
fmt.Println("pointer:", &i) // pointer: 0x10434114
}
